SALEM, Va. - Roanoke College knocked in a school-record 18 three-pointers in a comfortable 72-46 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) men's basketball win over Guilford College Wednesday night.
The Quakers (18-4, 11-2 ODAC) lost for just the second time in 15 games. Guilford is ranked 22nd in this week's D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll and first in the February 8 NCAA Division III South Region Rankings.
John Fitchett drained six-of-11 three-pointers and three other Maroons (12-9, 7-6 ODAC) knocked down three triples apiece in Roanoke's long-distance barrage. Fitchett finished with a game-high 24 points, including 14 in the second half behind four-of-six shooting from beyond the arc. Teammate Caleb Jordan had 15 points on six-of-nine shooting, which included three three-pointers. The Maroons' Eli Sumpter was a perfect four-for-four from the floor with three three-pointers and 11 points. Joey Miller drained three triples off the bench en route to nine points.
Six different Maroons made a three-pointer and 10 tried one as 41 of Roanoke's 55 shots were from distance. The hosts connected on 18 of 41 three-pointers (43.9%), compared to one-of-17 three-point shooting by the Quakers. Guilford missed its first 15 three-pointers before Michael Reiney knocked down his team's lone trifecta with less than three minutes left in regulation.
Roanoke made six straight field goals, including four three-pointers, in a decisive 16-4 run early in the first half. Fitchett capped the spurt with a layup that opened a 23-8 cushion eight minutes before the half. Thanks to seven-of-20 three-point shooting by Roanoke and 0-for-8 three-point shooting by the Quakers, the Maroons held a 31-18 halftime lead.
Guilford's Alston Thompson paced the Quakers with 14 points and eight rebounds. The Maroons harassed the Quakers' top scorer, sophomore Carson Long, into three-of-14 shooting, including 0-for-6 from three-point range, and eight points. Guilford managed just 26.8 percent field-goal shooting, the team's lowest percentage since the season opener.
Coach Tom Palombo's Quakers host league-leading Randolph-Macon College (16-6, 12-1 ODAC) Saturday (2/11) at 4:30 p.m.